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These Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes are made with my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe. They have fresh cream filling with chopped strawberries and the most amazing strawberry frosting!
Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes
I always look forward to strawberries being in season. I love their smell, I love their taste and I love to bake with them. They are especially good dipped in whipped cream too. A big ole’ bowl of strawberries and some whipped cream and I’m good to go! And these cupcakes are much like eating just that – in cupcake form.
How to Make Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes
The cupcakes start with my favorite moist vanilla cupcakes. They use the classic creaming method of creaming the butter and sugar together, adding air to the batter that helps make a light cupcake.
The cupcakes also use one of my favorite ingredients – sour cream. I love the moisture it adds to cupcakes, as well as the additional flavor.
You’ll notice only egg whites in these cupcakes as well. They add structure to the cupcakes to help them hold up to all the wonderful moisture from the sour cream and milk.
Finally, the dry ingredients are added alternatively with the liquid to help the liquid ingredients properly incorporate into the batter. Once the cupcakes are baked and cooled, cut out the cores so that they can be filled. I like to use a cupcake corer, but a knife would work as well.
How to Make Strawberry Cupcake Filling
For the filling, I used one of favorite cream fillings. It’s whipped cream with a little cream cheese added and some vanilla extract. Powdered sugar is used both to sweeten the cream and to stabilize it. I often hear people say they reduce the amount of powdered sugar used, but be careful doing that. The cream may not end up being as firm.
I added chopped strawberries to the cream, as well. I LOVE the extra pop of strawberries it gives. It’s a small addition that makes a big difference!
The cupcakes are finished off with the most amazing strawberry frosting! It was declared “the best strawberry frosting I’ve ever had” by all who tasted these cupcakes. So good! It’s made using freeze dried strawberries to give it plenty of strawberry flavor without thinning out the frosting too much from adding a bunch of strawberry puree. If you’d like to go the puree route, you totally can. I have a frosting like that here. But I definitely recommend trying the freeze dried strawberries.
The final cupcake just melts in your mouth! The moist vanilla cupcake, fluffy cream filling with bursts of strawberries and amazing strawberry frosting are a dangerously delicious combination! All who had them totally fell in love and despite my best efforts, I couldn’t resist eating several. These are definitely a new favorite for summer that I know you’ll want to make over and over!
Watch How To Make Them
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Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 Cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes are made with my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe. They have fresh cream filling with chopped strawberries and the most amazing strawberry frosting!
Ingredients
Vanilla cupcakes
- 6 tbsp (84g), unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cups (155g) sugar
- 6 tbsp (86g) sour cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (163g) all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 tbsp (90ml) milk
- 2 tbsp (30ml) water
Strawberry frosting
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
- 3–4 tbsp (45-60ml) water or milk
- Pinch of salt
- Fresh berries, for topping
Filling
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/4 cup (29g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup chopped strawberries
Instructions
Make the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not skimp on the amount of creaming time.
- Add sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add egg whites in two batches, mixing until well combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then combine the milk and water in a small measuring cup.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined. Add the milk mixture and mix until well combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Fill the cupcake liners about halfway. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
- Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.
To make the frosting
- While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting.
- Add the freeze-dried berries to a food processor and grind into a powder. Set aside.
- Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and mix until smooth.
- Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth
- Add up to 3 tablespoons of water or milk and the salt and mix until smooth.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and powdered berries and mix until well combined and smooth. Add additional water or milk, as needed. Set frosting aside.
Make the filling
- Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl.
- Whip on high speed with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
- Add the cream cheese and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. It’ll happen quickly.
- Stir in the chopped strawberries.
Assemble the cupcakes
- When the cupcakes have cooled, use a cupcake corer or small knife to remove the centers of the cupcakes.
- Fill the centers with the cream filling.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 844.
- Top the cupcakes with a strawberry, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Cupcakes are best served at room temperature.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 431
- Sugar: 42.3 g
- Sodium: 88.7 mg
- Fat: 23.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 53.2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 63.6 mg
Categories
Enjoy!
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Just finishing up the 4th batch of cupcakes!!! It did yield a lot more than you have noted, but I’m not complaining! The consistency of the batter was fluffy and gorgeous! My kids did a taste test and they LOVED it! I will be using a different frosting, because I failed to note your frosting calls for freeze-dried strawberries. I hope the frosting works out as good as your cupcakes have! Thank you for sharing this!
So glad to hear you’ve enjoyed them! Thanks Liz!
Hi lindsay!
Where do you get freeze dried starwberries from? TIA!
I actually got mine at the grocery store, but they are also available at Target and on Amazon.
It was yesterday only I was deciding what to bake on my daughter’s third birthday and here your tempting recipes came in. Maria, my daughter is fond of strawberries, We too picked some fresh strawberries from the farm to make it. Will share you the pictures once it is done. 🙂
Awesome! I hope you enjoyed them!
I don’t usually comment but…my 16 year old daughter who loves to bake made these and I literally think they are the best cupcake I’ve ever eaten! Moist and delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
So wonderful to hear! Glad you enjoyed them! Thanks Kim!
This is the fourth recipe I’ve tried from your fabulous site. The first 3 were fantastic and enjoye by all. Tonight I am making your strawberries and cream cupcakes for my grand daughter’s birthday. I’m perplexed though. Following your filling recipe carefully but the cream cheese won’t incorporate smoothly. And yes, it was room temp. I had to improvise, but wondered if you have experienced this or have a suggestion for next time.
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the recipes! Re: the cream cheese – room temperature could vary by house and climate. It’s possible it was just a little cool. Were the lumps quite big? Possibly different brands of cream cheese might not whip as well?
I’ve never seen (or heard of) freeze-dried strawberries. What do I look for in the store? How are they packaged? In which food section do I look?
I want to try this recipe soon!
It’s usually a package like this. I’ve also seen this brand in my local grocery store.
I’ve found them in the “snack aisle” of the grocery store near the other dried fruits. Mine were in a sealed bag.
Made these yesterday – YUMMMMMM. So good! That filling is perfect and I loved the frosting!
I bought my freeze dried strawberries off walmart.com. Wise Company brand. 2 days later they’re on my doorstep, ready to be used in this amazing recipe. I’m a somewhat new follower and have pinned so many of your recipes! Thanks Lindsay!!
Wonderful to hear! Thanks Emily! Glad you enjoyed them!
Hi Lindsay! I just made these cupcakes and they were incredible! Just a quick question.. im leaving the cupcakes at room temp. The filling and the frosting is kept in the fridge. For how long can i store them there? I was planning to just fill and frost on the day that we’ll eat them.. can i keep the filling and frosting in the fridge and how long will be its shelf lie? thank you so much!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! It really is best to add the filling to the cupcakes shortly after making it. Because of the whipped cream, it’ll deflate once you try to restir it later. The frosting would be fine in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Oh my goodness I am going to try making these. They look beautiful and sound delicious thank you for sharing
I hope you enjoy them!
I have topped cupcakes and cakes with strawberries before and they leaked water. Is there a way to prevent that?
Hmm, they definitely can leak moisture. I try to pat them really dry before adding them, but if they sit for more than a day or so, they do leak. Gotta love the moisture in fruits! It doesn’t suit our decorating needs very well, does it?!
I made your coconut cream cupcakes and fell in love with them. I don’t like frosting on store bought cakes and normally don’t like buttercream frosting either. But your recipe with the combination of shortening and butter was so light and SO delicious. You mention on your vanilla frosting recipe how you don’t like all butter frosting but this cupcake has that. Does the additions of freezedried strawberries make the difference? I am asking because I use cream cheese with butter and powdered sugar for frosting until I tried your vanilla frosting.
So glad to hear you’ve enjoyed the recipes! The strawberry flavor in this frosting is definitely nice and strong, so the butter flavor isn’t too strong. But you could definitely still use the half butter/half shortening combo without a problem.
I am making these today for my daughter’s birthday. I really like that you have listed the volume of ingredients in grams. You took all of the work out of conversion! Thank you.
Awesome! I hope you enjoyed them!
We don’t have a Trader Joe’s!! Where do I find freeze dried strawberries?? I saw this recipe and couldn’t wait to try it, then I saw freeze dried strawberries ????. Now what?
I can actually get them at my local grocery store, but if you can’t find them there I know Target has them and probably Walmart.
I started making the cupcakes and then saw it needed freeze dried strawberries. I substituted two packages of strawberry poptarts! I crumbled 4 pop tarts in the food processor and used one cup of them in the frosting. I have extra crumbs so I may top some cupcakes with them!
Just when I decide to take a break from cupcakes, you post another incredible recipe I can’t wait to try!
Ha! Well I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
I love the this recipe! The filling is absolutely delicious n the frosting is perfect 👌… the cupcake recipe is a little dry for me …
These look and sound so delicious!
xo Jessica
My Style Vita
Thanks Jessica!
Can this recipe be used as a two layer or bundt cake
I haven’t tried it as a bundt cake, but it would work as a layer cake. You’d want to double everything though.
I was wondering if it is 1 cup freese dried strawberries before or after grinding
Before grinding them.
When turning the berries into a powder, could I use a blender if I do not have a food processor?
Certainly.
This is perfect timing, I just bought some freeze dried strawberries from Trader Joe’s to experiment making frosting and you beat me to it! My kids and I just went strawberry picking at a farm yesterday so we have 3 huge baskets full, ready to make some goodies and of course just eat! Will be making these today!
Perfect! I love picking fresh strawberries – I bet they’re amazing! I hope you enjoy the cupcakes!
Hi, Lindsay! Was wondering if this filling would hold up if I made it a day before? Trying to save some time on a big cake I’m making. Thank you!
Yes, just be sure to use the full amount of powdered sugar in the whipped cream. It helps to stabilize it.